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Que s t ion S (coot; o",d) Raglan shoulder pads Is there a way to sew shoulder pads into a raglan sleeve that has no seam at the top oj the shoulder? I've tried "glue-in" as well as hook-and-Ioop pads and they always seem to end up in the wrong place. -Penny Hammack, Hurst, Tex. strap Bra Shoulder Sally Silvers replies: There are two ways to include shoulder pads in a one-piece raglan sleeve. First, you can attach the shoulder pads with a series of strings or ribbons extending from the neckline, but the strings or ribbons often become tangled, twisted, or torn when you launder the garment. The second method, which I prefer, works for a one-piece raglan sleeve and other garments where sewn-in shoulder pads can shift as I move in the garment: temporarily attach the shoulder pads to my bra straps. To create these bra-attached shoulder pads, choose appropriate shoulder pads for your garment (in your case oval-shaped raglan shoulder pads). Place the pad on your shoulder in the desired position; with a pencil, lightly mark the underside of the pad where it crosses the bra strap. Cut a 3-inch-Iong strip of narrow hook-and-Ioop tape for each shoulder pad, and sew the hook and loop pieces of each strip together across one end. Hand-sew one loop piece to the underside of each shoulder pad with doubled thread as shown at left; the strip should be aligned with the shoulder seam of the pad and centered across your pencil mark. Slide the hook piece under your bra strap, then fasten it to the loop side for no-shift shoulder shape. Sally Silvers is a wearable artist and professor who also wrote a Basics column, "Inserting Shoulder Pads;' in Threads No. 1 03. Sewing vacations I'm a happy Threads subscriber, with rather novice skills, seeking a sewing vacation this spring or summer. Can you suggest sewing vacations or intensive courses Jor the novice to advanced beginner? -Kathe O'Connor, St. Louis, Mo. Susan B. Allen replies: Start packing your notions, Kathe, because there are great sewing vacations to be had. For workshops close to home, check with local fabric shops. If you're up for a big trip, here are some great options: Let's start with a textile-laver's tour ofjapan to attend a major quilt show, take workshops in stenciling and sashiko, and visit kimono museums, all part of Susan B. Faeder's annual seven-day tour (Quilter'S Express toJapan, 212-505-0480, .qejapan.com; call for dates). For blissful inspiration, plus tons of sewing, deSign, and embellishment tips for all levels, join deSigners Diane Ericson and Marcy Tilton at their "Design Outside The Lines" retreats (541-592-2969, www.re visions-ericson. com) at resorts near Asheville, NC (April 3-7 or 10-14), and Taos, NM Gune 28-July 2). www Then there's the five-day Sewing Camp (for adults) at Palmeri Pietsch in Portland, OR (800-7283784, www.palmerpletsch.com) offeredJuly 17-21. Also inquire about additional fit, pants, tailoring, couture, and creative sewing seminars. Cruise the Alaskan coast from June 9-16 with quilter Mary Stori; tour Portland and Seattle with quilters from England from July 3-15. These and more can be found through Specialty Tours (800-6779412, Marsha McClintock, who has hosted tours to Paris, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles, will introduce you to sewing sources in New York's garment district in May or Vancouver, British Columbia in the summer (Sew Many Options Tours, 503-761-6460, www.sew manyoptionstours.com). Country Heritage Tours (800- www 346-9820, www.countryheritage tours. com) offers "handcrafted" tours centered around quilt shows in charming venues: Charleston, SC (April 25-May 1), Vermont Gune 22-28), and Nashville, TN (August 26-30). For one- and two-week courses in qUilt-making, fiber arts, or surface design, check craft schools like Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME (207-3482306, www.haystack-mtn.org), Arrowmont School of Arts in Gatlinburg, TN (865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org), or Peters Valley Craft Education Center in Layton, NJ (973-948-5200, www.pv crafts.org). & Susan B. Allen is a Threads contributing editor. Crafts .a1specialtytours.com). 18 THREADS